Check out what a little Meguiars Scratch X can do for your car. - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

acscamarochick06 · 08-16-2007, 01:55 PM

Since you guys seem to sound like ya pretty well know what you're talking about, lol, I want to get your opinion on what I should do.

I've attached pics I took of the places on my car.

Pics 1 and 2 are right behind the driver's side door. I was Job Shadowing at the hospital here in town and when I came out someone had literally SLUNG their door open on my car, apparently. There was some white paint in the scratch but I used wax and the paint came out. The only problem is that it has scratched the clear coat. I know you can't really tell a lot from the pics but it's the best I could do, I may try to take better ones later if you need them. I drew a red circle around the spot so you could see it.

Pic 3 is a minute scratch that was on the car when I bought it. It's very small and I think I could fix it or atleast make it less noticeable. (With the HUGE scratch behind my door, I really don't think anyone's eyes will go straight to this one!)

Pic 4 is where there was an air bubble in the paint on my bumper. I was rearended and had to take my car to get a new bumper put on it and the bumper had to be painted. Well, my best-friend-at-the-time's dad and grandpa have a body shop, so I just got him to do it. Lesson Learned! First of all, he didn't put all the clips in my bumper when he put it back on my car so when I picked up the car initially, it was WAVY! I freaked and took my car back and he said he thought the clips were "extras". Yeah, wtf! Anyway, I didn't notice this air bubble until about a month later. After a few trips to the car wash, hand washing, etc. the paint has finally peeled. Any advice on what I should do??

**Please ignore the pitiful dirty state of my car as it sits! It has been 103 degrees here for the past 2 weeks and there are no signs of letting up soon, so I haven't really been in a "car washing mood". I PROMISE my car is never that filthy normally!**

PLEASE give me your best advice! I am very grateful!!

Silverado · 08-16-2007, 02:19 PM

Well, they are tough to really get a feel for what the scratch looks like, but I'll give you some tips based on a couple things.

For the first scratch (Pics 1 & 2)...I can't really tell if there is any kind of dent/crease there either. Also, I can't tell if that scratch is any deeper than just the clearcoat or not. It kind of looks like it is, but that may just be the nature of the pic. If it is...the only way to "fix" it (short of having the panel repainted (by a more reputable shop than you used before....lol)) is to get some touch up paint (get it from the dealer or have it matched and mixed at a reputable body shop) and follow the steps I talked about before with the Talon. Then polish it up with some light compound and wax it up. If there is a dent/crease there, have a Paintless Dent Removal guy take out the dent/crease first...if you do it afterward, it will pop out your touch up paint and you'll have to do it all again.

If the scratch is just the clearcoat, you could just always keep it waxed (even if it's just that spot) and probably be okay. If you want to fix it, go to the dealer or body shop and get some "touch up" clearcoat. Follow the same wetsanding/polishing procedure.

For the other "original" scratch (Pic 3)...follow the same steps listed above.

For the problem with your bumper...well, the only real fix is to have the whole thing repainted. You could do it with touch up paint (although, that's a lot more than the normal bottle of touch up paint.) but it won't look right and the sanding/polishing process is a problem, not only because of the plastic bumper cover, but because of the location. If you know someone or can find someone who does airbrush painting/graphics, they could match, mix and airbrush it to cover it up and blend it in (make sure you/they add some clear afterwards, or waxing it will be a bitch after awhile).

Fortunately for you, you have that "Pewter" color that is easier to hide scratches and imperfections than say Tag's black.

Good luck.

acscamarochick06 · 08-16-2007, 05:11 PM

The first scratch also has a SMALL dent, it isn't too noticeable but I know it's there and that's why it bothers me so bad. That was also why I got the idea that the person must have really slung the door open to dent AND scratch.

Do you have any idea how much it would cost to get the dent/scratch behind the door and the bumper problem fixed? I am NOT going to the same person as before haha... Like I said, Lesson Learned!!!

Thanks a lot for the tips, you've been really helpful!

EllwynX · 08-16-2007, 05:38 PM

All those swirl marks and minor imperfections that show up on Black and other dark colors are exactly why I'll never own them.

White looks clean and sharp, and almost never shows swirl marks and other tiny imperfections. Silver is almost as good.

*Mr. Wyndham* · 08-16-2007, 05:50 PM

Silver is White, with a little black mixed in...for attitude!

So here's another question for all you pro's

. If you use touch up paint on a small bare-metal scratch, shouldn't you add clearcoat? Or else won't it stick out as a very flat color compared to the glossy clear-coat all around the touch-up?

MerF · 08-16-2007, 05:57 PM

I love it!

On the subject, not long after i bought the Supra (which was not in mint shape to begn with) it became the victim of overspray at a local shopyard! So it had thousands of paint-speckles allllll over it. Me and a Z06 enthusiast buddy spent an all-nighter (similar to Tag's night) and went through an alchemy-lab full of techniques to get it straight. And it was...I was forever getting compliments on the paint, which was original, because of my willingness to keep fresh wax on it after stripping it down to bare-nothing and layering sweet hotness back on, one step at a time.

The IROC also got similar treatment, but it needs again pretty badly. The good news is, I've only washed it twice since I treated it...so swirls shouldn't be a problem! Hehe.

Silverado · 08-16-2007, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acscamarochick06

The first scratch also has a SMALL dent, it isn't too noticeable but I know it's there and that's why it bothers me so bad. That was also why I got the idea that the person must have really slung the door open to dent AND scratch.

Do you have any idea how much it would cost to get the dent/scratch behind the door and the bumper problem fixed? I am NOT going to the same person as before haha... Like I said, Lesson Learned!!!

Thanks a lot for the tips, you've been really helpful!

If you're looking at the paintless dent removal, anyone that is any good at it should take about 30 minutes, and charge you anywhere from $15-20....most of them do it on a per panel basis, so check and see if you have any other small dents that need to be taken out as well...if it's just one, they might not even charge you that much.

As for the bumper...no clue...I've been out of the industry for so long, I wouldn't have any idea what it would cost to fix it. Sorry.

Dragon, to answer your question, it depends on the paint really. If it's a metallic, then the touch up paint is probably shiny enough to not need it. For the right protection, yeah, probably. But like I said earlier, that can be done with a "touch up" version of clear as well.

Silverado · 08-16-2007, 08:43 PM

Yeah MerF, I'm with you...I used to get compliments on my cars all the time. Someone actually told me once that they figured I must have had my truck "dipped in hot wax" to get it looking like that.

I just don't have that kind of time any more. Poor excuse I know, but.....

acscamarochick06 · 08-16-2007, 11:07 PM

Thanks a lot Silverado! I really appreciate it!

And thanks to everyone else as well!

Silverado · 08-17-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acscamarochick06

Thanks a lot Silverado! I really appreciate it!

And thanks to everyone else as well!

No problem, hope it helps.

Big Boss Man · 02-08-2008, 08:23 PM

That car looks great.

Moose · 02-08-2008, 10:34 PM

The SS looks great Doug!

Speaking from experience, black is a @#!$!!!

I've also used '3M Finesse-It' for the deeper scratches. It works well, but I've switched to Zaino's 'Z-PC Fusion'.

Zaino is a little more $$$, but we'll worth it IMO.

*TAG UR IT* · 02-08-2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Boss Man

That car looks great.

It is a @#!$!!! like Moose said. But, it looks sooooooo nice when it's detailed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose

The SS looks great Doug!

Speaking from experience, black is a @#!$!!!

I've also used '3M Finesse-It' for the deeper scratches. It works well, but I've switched to Zaino's 'Z-PC Fusion'.

Zaino is a little more $$$, but we'll worth it IMO.

Thank you too, sir! I'll have to give those a shot too. I still....have yet....to put down the cash for Zaino. I know...I know...I'll get around to it. I think I'll end up using the rest of my stuff in the garage for the time being and eventually get around to it.

Gotta love this pic. I just saw Micky saying hi!! HAHAHA

Jeff · 02-09-2008, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

Gotta love this pic. I just saw Micky saying hi!! HAHAHA

I had one, but someone stole it off my truck LOL. Was pissed. Your car is looking good, why don't you give yourself a ticket for not having a front license plate haha. jk.

08-16-2007, 01:55 PM	#15
acscamarochick06 Chevrolet Enthusiast Drives: 2011 Camaro SS ;) Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky Posts: 807 View My Garage	Since you guys seem to sound like ya pretty well know what you're talking about, lol, I want to get your opinion on what I should do. I've attached pics I took of the places on my car. Pics 1 and 2 are right behind the driver's side door. I was Job Shadowing at the hospital here in town and when I came out someone had literally SLUNG their door open on my car, apparently. There was some white paint in the scratch but I used wax and the paint came out. The only problem is that it has scratched the clear coat. I know you can't really tell a lot from the pics but it's the best I could do, I may try to take better ones later if you need them. I drew a red circle around the spot so you could see it. Pic 3 is a minute scratch that was on the car when I bought it. It's very small and I think I could fix it or atleast make it less noticeable. (With the HUGE scratch behind my door, I really don't think anyone's eyes will go straight to this one!) Pic 4 is where there was an air bubble in the paint on my bumper. I was rearended and had to take my car to get a new bumper put on it and the bumper had to be painted. Well, my best-friend-at-the-time's dad and grandpa have a body shop, so I just got him to do it. Lesson Learned! First of all, he didn't put all the clips in my bumper when he put it back on my car so when I picked up the car initially, it was WAVY! I freaked and took my car back and he said he thought the clips were "extras". Yeah, wtf! Anyway, I didn't notice this air bubble until about a month later. After a few trips to the car wash, hand washing, etc. the paint has finally peeled. Any advice on what I should do?? Please ignore the pitiful dirty state of my car as it sits! It has been 103 degrees here for the past 2 weeks and there are no signs of letting up soon, so I haven't really been in a "car washing mood". I PROMISE my car is never that filthy normally! PLEASE give me your best advice! I am very grateful!! Attached Images __________________

08-16-2007, 05:11 PM	#17
acscamarochick06 Chevrolet Enthusiast Drives: 2011 Camaro SS ;) Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky Posts: 807 View My Garage	The first scratch also has a SMALL dent, it isn't too noticeable but I know it's there and that's why it bothers me so bad. That was also why I got the idea that the person must have really slung the door open to dent AND scratch. Do you have any idea how much it would cost to get the dent/scratch behind the door and the bumper problem fixed? I am NOT going to the same person as before haha... Like I said, Lesson Learned!!! Thanks a lot for the tips, you've been really helpful! __________________

08-16-2007, 05:50 PM	#19
Mr. Wyndham I used to be Dragoneye... Drives: 2018 ZL1 1LE Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 31,876 View My Garage	Silver is White, with a little black mixed in...for attitude! So here's another question for all you pro's . If you use touch up paint on a small bare-metal scratch, shouldn't you add clearcoat? Or else won't it stick out as a very flat color compared to the glossy clear-coat all around the touch-up? __________________ *"Keep the faith."* - Fbodfather

08-16-2007, 11:07 PM	#23
acscamarochick06 Chevrolet Enthusiast Drives: 2011 Camaro SS ;) Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky Posts: 807 View My Garage	Thanks a lot Silverado! I really appreciate it! And thanks to everyone else as well! __________________

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08-16-2007, 02:19 PM	#16
Silverado GM Guy For Life Drives: 2010 GMC Yukon XL Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 971 View My Garage	Well, they are tough to really get a feel for what the scratch looks like, but I'll give you some tips based on a couple things. For the first scratch (Pics 1 & 2)...I can't really tell if there is any kind of dent/crease there either. Also, I can't tell if that scratch is any deeper than just the clearcoat or not. It kind of looks like it is, but that may just be the nature of the pic. If it is...the only way to "fix" it (short of having the panel repainted (by a more reputable shop than you used before....lol)) is to get some touch up paint (get it from the dealer or have it matched and mixed at a reputable body shop) and follow the steps I talked about before with the Talon. Then polish it up with some light compound and wax it up. If there is a dent/crease there, have a Paintless Dent Removal guy take out the dent/crease first...if you do it afterward, it will pop out your touch up paint and you'll have to do it all again. If the scratch is just the clearcoat, you could just always keep it waxed (even if it's just that spot) and probably be okay. If you want to fix it, go to the dealer or body shop and get some "touch up" clearcoat. Follow the same wetsanding/polishing procedure. For the other "original" scratch (Pic 3)...follow the same steps listed above. For the problem with your bumper...well, the only real fix is to have the whole thing repainted. You could do it with touch up paint (although, that's a lot more than the normal bottle of touch up paint.) but it won't look right and the sanding/polishing process is a problem, not only because of the plastic bumper cover, but because of the location. If you know someone or can find someone who does airbrush painting/graphics, they could match, mix and airbrush it to cover it up and blend it in (make sure you/they add some clear afterwards, or waxing it will be a bitch after awhile). Fortunately for you, you have that "Pewter" color that is easier to hide scratches and imperfections than say Tag's black. Good luck.

08-16-2007, 05:38 PM	#18
EllwynX Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: May 2006 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 2,260	All those swirl marks and minor imperfections that show up on Black and other dark colors are exactly why I'll never own them. White looks clean and sharp, and almost never shows swirl marks and other tiny imperfections. Silver is almost as good.

08-16-2007, 05:57 PM	#20
MerF Go Rays! Drives: 03 Trailblazer Join Date: May 2007 Location: St Pete, Florida Posts: 2,533	I love it! On the subject, not long after i bought the Supra (which was not in mint shape to begn with) it became the victim of overspray at a local shopyard! So it had thousands of paint-speckles allllll over it. Me and a Z06 enthusiast buddy spent an all-nighter (similar to Tag's night) and went through an alchemy-lab full of techniques to get it straight. And it was...I was forever getting compliments on the paint, which was original, because of my willingness to keep fresh wax on it after stripping it down to bare-nothing and layering sweet hotness back on, one step at a time. The IROC also got similar treatment, but it needs again pretty badly. The good news is, I've only washed it twice since I treated it...so swirls shouldn't be a problem! Hehe.

08-16-2007, 08:43 PM	#22
Silverado GM Guy For Life Drives: 2010 GMC Yukon XL Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 971 View My Garage	Yeah MerF, I'm with you...I used to get compliments on my cars all the time. Someone actually told me once that they figured I must have had my truck "dipped in hot wax" to get it looking like that. I just don't have that kind of time any more. Poor excuse I know, but.....

02-08-2008, 08:23 PM	#25
Big Boss Man Roc's Rule Drives: 04 Denali 89 Iroc Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wi Posts: 34	That car looks great.

02-08-2008, 10:34 PM	#26
Moose Moderator Drives: '99 Camaro SS #1392 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Newtown, Pa. Posts: 3,982	The SS looks great Doug! Speaking from experience, black is a @#!$!!! I've also used '3M Finesse-It' for the deeper scratches. It works well, but I've switched to Zaino's 'Z-PC Fusion'. Zaino is a little more $$$, but we'll worth it IMO.